Immutable backup and ransomware: The key to protection and recovery

Ransomware is an ongoing threat, and many organisations often assume that they can rely on their backup to easily retrieve data in the event of a cyber attack. However, in reality, this is not always an option. Attacks are becoming more evolved and more targeted towards backups, to eliminate ways in which an organisation can recover.

This increased presence of more sophisticated ransomware means that IT professionals are looking at adding an extra layer to their backup and disaster recovery strategy that cannot be altered in any way. This comes in the form of immutable backups.

Learn more about our Immutable Backup service

Immutable backup definition

Immutable backups are the most efficient protection against the likes of ransomware. They ensure your data is always recoverable, as it cannot be deleted, changed, or altered in any way. The process provides optimal recovery points across an agreed timeframe, which stops any malicious activity within the existing data storage blocks.

This results in having an archive of immutable backups which guarantees recovery by using the latest clean backup that is saved. So, even if you were unlucky enough to have your legacy backup systems attacked, you will always be able to recover your immutable, untouched data.

Benefits of Immutable backups:

There are various benefits when you implement immutable backups within your data backup processes:

• • Protection against malicious attacks, including ransomware
  • Reliable Disaster Recovery with faster RTOs and Higher RPOs
  • No unauthorised access
  • Data Security and Compliance
  • Data Integrity
  • Internal and external threat prevention

Air-Gapped Backup

A great way to achieve immutability and meet the all-important 3-2-1-1-0 backup rule is by the air-gapped backup method. This method involves an offline copy of your data backups, which is completely disconnected from the network through replication to a detached media.

Having an air-gapped backup of your data ensures additional recovery options. It is pretty much impossible for ransomware or other malware to infiltrate through, as it is completely unreachable. A simple and effective way to achieve this is through a Tape Backup Service. It is a great option for long-term data retention and is still the most cost-effective method, especially with larger data volumes.

Why Covenco for immutable backup?

Covenco has over 25 years of experience helping organisations implement bespoke data backup and disaster recovery solutions that work for their unique circumstances.

Our Veeam-based architecture uses solutions from partners such as Zadara to deliver complete immutability for those customers who request 100% recoverability.  The service allows users to offload a backup copy to Object Storage as soon as it is created in the Performance Tier, or with Veeam Data Platform v12. This allows backups to go straight to Object Storage.

Combining this with Object Lock on, Zadara or another immutable object storage platform enables a protection mechanism that reduces the window of opportunity for ransomware, while providing a long-term or off-site backup copy. This simplifies the means for providing a comprehensive 3-2-1-1-0 backup rule policy while increasing security against malware.

Covenco and Veeam deliver:

• Rapid recovery and long-term data retention on-premises and in the cloud, allowing you to meet regulatory compliance requirements with optional local and remote snapshot capabilities.
• Virtual Network Interfaces, providing isolated tenant access to storage resources.
• Air-gapped architecture, reducing the attack footprint.
• Object Lock data immutability to protect against deletion and overwriting, providing an ‘air gap’ architecture.
• ISO 27001 compliance
• On-demand 24/7/365 expert support

Backup data is the last line of defence and the key to recovering from a ransomware attack. Covenco’s approach makes it easy for customers to implement a rigid security posture for data management while freeing up your data, administration, and IT staff to concentrate on mission-critical tasks.

 Our comprehensive data backup and recovery platform gives customers guaranteed confidence that they can quickly and reliably recover from an attack.

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Frequently asked questions

Can you encrypt or delete immutable backups?

No, immutable backups are unalterable by nature.

Are backups important when dealing with ransomware?

In order to best prepare your organisation’s data for ransomware attacks, creating regular backups is an important habit to get into.

What is an immutable file system?

An immutable file system helps to keep data storage pristine, meaning data remains in a state that hasn’t been tampered with or modified.